Pole dancing with Ris Low: Does she have talent?

Yes, but apparently not good enough to impress the producers of Channel 5′s talent reality show One Moment of Glory (OMG!).

The controversial media darling was initially part of the talent show’s plan – to have her perform alongside two pole-dancing contestants in one of the upcoming episodes titled Collaborations!, where contenders will be paired with a personality to showcase their talents.

And from the performances, judges would then have to decide if the contestants make it through to the next level [of challenge] or get the boot.

Now, surely such a provocative dance sequence by the ex-beauty queen, gripping onto a 6-7 feet steel pole, would help boost TV ratings?

When contacted, the show’s producers commented that “like every audition in a talent show, Ris has to meet a certain standard” and given that the episode is about teamwork, “the contestants have to be comfortable with their collaborator”.

So now that we won’t get to see her pole dancing on TV, exactly how talented and qualified is she in this sport that is often associated with sleaze?

Xinmsn met with the ex-beauty queen recently where we found her sweating buckets away at Groove Dance School studio, going about her eleventh-hour preparation [to perform a pole dance sequence for our readers], smiling albeit showing signs of strain while trying to complete a Pole Climb with a Pole Sit move under the coaching of Renee, pole dancer and co-owner of Groove.

“It’d be really thick-skin for me to say this but I think I do have talent in pole dancing!” Ris announced in between giggles, seemingly embarrassed of her bold statement.

Defending her stance, Ris said, “I started dancing in 2005 when Groove was just established; I was one of the pioneer batches of students.”

“This is the place where I started my exotic dancing – lap dancing and all sorts of sleazy dancing.” (Laughs)

Would she consider joining OMG! to show off her talent?

Just when this reporter was expecting the controversial beauty queen to give a resounding yes, she does an about turn.

“I have no talent at all lah,” Ris declared matter-of-factly. “It’s like watching a clumsy person on the pole. And I’m very bad with remembering dance routines…so cannot lah!”

“Although I’m already at level 4 of pole dancing – equivalent of intermediate – actually I think I’m still a beginner because I just can’t seem to engage my ab muscles to do a Pole Invert,” Ris reiterated.

“I’m still very bad just that I refuse to admit it.”

So why pole-dancing and what attracted her to the sport?

“I think pole dancing is really sexy as it brings out the sexuality of the person,” Ris explained. “People may think that it’s sleazy but it gives you the self-confidence to dance in a sexy way where I used to think only strip dancers can do.”

According to the former beauty queen, to get herself into a sexy mood before she takes to the pole, she would “think of myself as the most beautiful woman”.

“I’d imagine myself with the biggest assets, like from an A cup to double C-cup.”

When asked how her boyfriend felt about her dancing passion, Ris said: “My boyfriend would say, “I don’t like you to pole-dance lah you look so sleazy”, yeah right, but you just have to bring them to a club with pole dancers, and they’ll be sitting there for hours, watching till their eyes pop out!”

One might think that Ris would almost certainly perform a pole dance sequence for her boyfriend in a bid to change his views on the sleaze factor but no. According to Ris, she “feels weird dancing for him”.

“It’d feel like he’s just another “dirty old man” who ogles at girls. I don’t know how others feel but I’m don’t like the idea of performing sexy dances for a man,” Ris replied, without missing a beat.

But isn’t that the same as being paid as a pole dancer to perform at a club?

“That’s different because that’d mean I’m good so that’s a compliment for me,” she explained.

“It’s like going topless. Topless is ok so long as it’s done artistically and not portray the wrong message to ah peks…and young men too!”

“But so far nobody has asked and I don’t think anyone would ask lor.”

Movie directors, are you reading this?

Catch One Moment of Glory (OMG!) every Wednesday, 8.30pm on Channel 5.